Church Farm Rose Essences

The therapeutic qualities of the rose are esoteric, in the same way its esoteric qualities are therapeutic. Any explanation contains an undeniable mystery, as much as the mystery of – what is ill health? Ultimately the whole matter can only be resolved by intuition, trust and faith. One shouldn’t be distracted by any seeming paradox.

Down through the ages the rose has been adopted by all creeds and cultures, religious, pagan and secular as a symbol of love and mysticism, playing its part in ceremonies and rituals to celebrate both life and death. Herbalists and pharmacist also valuing the rose for its medicinal and cosmetic uses.

There doesn’t seem to be any definite date as to the origin of the rose as a plant species here on earth, which adds to the mystery of this very special plant. As far as records show the first rose as we know it today was the Gallica, recorded on the island of Crete between 1,700 and 2,000 BC. Cultivated in Asia Minor and the Greek islands. The Colonists introduced the rose to the eastern Mediterranean islands, to Sicily and to Maridonial Italy where it soon became a favourite of the Romans. According to Herodotus the rose was brought to Greece by Midas whose garden in Macedonia was famed for its beauty and scents for centuries. The Gallica was a deep purple red rose with five petals, and highly fragranced. The first cultivated rose was Rosa Gallica Officialis, the apothecary’s rose or the rose of Provins as it is sometimes known. Edmund, 1st Earl of Lancaster chose this rose as his standard during the Wars of the Roses in honour of his second wife Blanche whose emblem it was, so becoming the red rose of Lancaster.

As a flower essence Gallica is to do with being oversensitive, the old and the newborn who are fragile, giving peace and strength to aid recovery. Purifying the heart and mind it helps the ‘spiritually’ ambitious to come back to a point of humility, befriending the ego to help attain harmony between ego and soul. Gallica relates to the brow and altar major chakras, and on a physical level the blood stream, helping to clear and purify the blood. Gallica relates to blood born diseases.

The Persians who were renowned for their exquisite gardens soon began to use the rose in their Pairidaeza’s (walled gardens) where the word paradise is derived from. Regarding the rose as a flower of great luxury, these pairidaeza’s soon became rose gardens. The structure of these gardens were quadrangular; four enclosures often divided by streams coming from a central fountain, a tree often positioned by the fountain for shade. Interestingly these paradises bore a distinct resemblance to the Garden of Eden described in Genesis. The Persian gardens first came to Europe through a combination of monastic influences on early mediaeval society and war.

Monastery gardens were often suppliers of flowers for the church, the altar, and medicinal purposes, as well as for the spiritual and aesthetic pleasures of the monks. Nuns in particular played an important part in spreading the work of flower gardening for medicinal uses. The Christian men and women were as much helped by the Moslem warriors as by the Crusaders in their horticultural activities. Like the Crusaders the Moslem Arabs were very much influenced by the Persian gardens, spreading them throughout their European dominions as early as the eighth century and taking the veneration of the rose which they had learnt in Persia, making it a sacred Moslem flower. One legend telling how the rose was born out of the sweat of Mohamed’s brow. Both the Arabs and Persians celebrated the rose as ‘messenger of the garden of souls’.

The Arab conquests of firstly Persia and Syria, secondly Egypt and southern Spain together with middle eastern influences on Europe, as a result of the Crusades, freed Paradises from their monastic endeintes and spread them abroad as courtly rose gardens.

One rose widely grown by the Persians was the Damask rose. A native of Damascus it became known as the Holy rose. A natural hybrid of the Gallica and the Pheonician musk, the Autumn Damask was reported to have been found growing on the Greek island of Samos towards the end of the tenth century where it was associated with the cult of Aphrodite. Later it was introduced to mainland Greece and eventually to Rome where it was considered to be connected to Venus.

An example of the Damask is Ispahan. As a rose essence Ispahan is to do with gratitude and graciousness, helpful for those who find it difficult to say thank you, and to be loved. Helping to attune one to the love aspect of the Divine sources working through the higher aspects of the heart to open the heart chakra. Physically it relates to the heart, helping promote wellbeing to this vital organ.

The Damask is also mentioned in Edward I’s Bill of Medicines. Adopted by Henry VIII as an emblem of his unique kingly powers, he had it incorporated into the royal order of the garter which was redesigned to include a red rose within a white rose alternating with a white rose within a red – the Tudor rose. The holy oil used at coronation ceremonies and still used today is said to be prepared from a recipe described in the Bible and containing rose oil.

The rose had soon been adopted by the Christians as a symbol of Mary and her immaculate conception and indeed with Christ himself. The deep purple red petals symbolising his blood and the five wounds he received during his crucifixion. There are so many interesting stories relating the rose to Christianity, including the story of St Thérèse of Liseux who to this day is reported to manifest roses as a sign of answering a prayer. This was her promise before her death. Pagan tradition used the rose as tokens and symbols of love, particularly in death rituals representing both the pain and pleasures of love. Fragments of Alba Maxima have been found in the burial chambers of the ancient Egyptians showing evidence of their use of the rose in their rituals, again to do with death.

As a vibrational essence Alba Maxima is to do with the mother and mothering, helping those who have lacked this quality in their lives. Alba Maxima helps in the bonding process between mother and child. Relating to the female reproductory organs it is the remedy for problems to do with birth and motherhood. On higher levels it links to the Divine Mother, and her influence, strengthening the intuitive side of our nature.

Herbalists have favoured the use of the rose in their medical concoctions to heal the body. Nostradamus was reported to have also been a healer, using rose oils as part of his healing techniques.

Today in what is being referred to as Vibrational Medicine (flower essences included) i.e. the vibration or pattern found in sound, colours and all nature. These various vibrations can produce a healing effect on those whose own vibration is compatible with the particular vibrational medicine used.

The work of a group of people in Oxfordshire has led to the production of a range of essences made from roses. These essences have been called Church Farm Roses, Church Farm being the place where the first essences were prepared. Just as the beauty and mystery of the rose spread throughout the world from the effects of war, Church Farm Roses were ‘born’ from a job which was to restore harmony to a house in Church Lane, Witney, which had been vandalised in the worst imaginable way. Whilst working in the house the group intuitively felt the need to visit St. Mary’s church at the end of the lane. From there the group began to establish contact with a loving energy far beyond the understanding of the human mind. This energy seemingly represents a collective consciousness very much concerned with love and its many different aspects. Through working with this energy the group were step by step guided through a series of discoveries, which eventually led to the production of the rose essences.

There are at present seventeen essences, all relating to different physical, emotional, and higher conditions of human nature. So far mentioned have been – Gallica, Ispahan, and Alba Maxima. One or two more are as follows: Louise Odier, the essence associated with the heart, and heart energies, with human and Divine love. Physically relating to the heart and heart problems, emotionally to heartache, grief and stress; spiritually helping to awaken a sense of love and beauty, creativity and an awareness of our higher nature. Louise Odier is a Bourbon rose categorised as an old rose, i.e. roses that are an established species crossed with a China Rose. The China rose appearing at the end of the eighteen century, when travellers travelled east. Mary Rose – the protector on all levels. Associated with the immune system on a physical level, emotionally the nervous system and spiritually protecting from negative influences. The Mary Rose is an example of the English Rose. English roses resulted from the crossing of an old rose with a Hybrid tea rose or Floribunda.

Swan is another English rose essence and is to do with the digestive system. Physically relating to the lower gut and intestines. Emotionally helping to resolve feelings of peevishness and jealousy, Spiritually bringing an awareness of grace.

Unlike other flower essences Church Farm Roses are prepared by moonlight. Once prepared each batch of remedies are placed in a grid of clear quartz crystals and offered to ‘God’ for blessings according to Divine Will. They are then potted in a carrier cream, which is simple for anyone to use. This is a painstaking process and all those involved give their time freely and with love as part of their own journey of service towards Unity.

Church Farm Roses is a non commercial enterprise, any advertising or publicity is to simply help them be known. Judging from the growing numbers of letters and phone calls received telling how helpful users have found them, they are proving to be very effective. Like all vibrational medicine they are best diagnosed intuitively, with trust and faith. We all intuitively know all levels of our own needs. The Rose essences are a gentle and loving way to help us become aware of those needs and any corrective measures we may need to take.

I have purposefully included a short history of the rose to illustrate how its veneration and therapeutic qualities have been adopted by all creeds and cultures since it was first discovered. This is to emphasise the mystery which has always surrounded its presence here on earth. I felt this particularly relevant since flower essences relate to all levels of wellbeing. They are not simply accepted as a cure for the symptomatic manifestations of a deeper or higher cause, but can actually reach that cause.

The ‘healing’ properties of flower essences are shown to us through the intuitive side of our nature, which enables us to perceive the interior or higher aspects of flowers, in this case roses.

Once prepared Church Farm Roses were sent to a laboratory in Australia, where they were tested for the stabilisation of their energy patterns, and an intuitive diagnosis for their ‘healing’ properties. The latter corresponded with the group’s own intuitive information.

I have not included a full account of Church Farm Rose essences, as it would take on too many other subjects. It is a fascinating story in itself. However, if anyone is interested I would be happy to share it with them.

Case Studies from Church Farm Roses

Ruth had gone on holiday to Spain. During the holiday she had been bitten by an insect. The bite became infected, and Ruth decided she had better have it treated. However, in spite of the medical treatment she received the bite continued to fester now causing much pain and inflammation. She was beginning to get alarmed, and it was spoiling her holiday. Then she remembered the pot of comfort cream she had ‘thrown’ into her bag at the last minute. Applying the cream immediately, and later before going to bed, brought instant relief to the pain, and the following morning the inflammation was much improved. Ruth continued to apply the cream and in a couple of days there was no trace of the bite at all. Like so many others Ruth now keeps a jar of comfort cream handy all the time.

Eileen stopped me in the village one day to ask if I was the lady who had the healing creams. As we chatted I couldn’t help noticing that in spite of the fact it was a very hot day she was wearing gloves. As I was explaining myself she immediately began to remove the gloves showing me her hands which were covered in a blistery infection. She told me the doctors had tried everything over the two years she had been suffering from the disorder and she had now given up hope that they would find a cure. We made a time for her to visit me. Showing her how to intuitively choose a cream she chose Alba Maxima without any hesitation. I had seen at once that Eileen was herself a very sensitive person. I had also sensed a problem around her mother. As I broached the subject she burst into tears and the sad story unfolded. Eileen’s mother had died two years ago in circumstances that left Eileen feeling very guilty. Being sensitive she had intuitively gone to the root causes, choosing a remedy for issues around the mother rather than the cream Alexander which is the remedy for breathing and skin problems. We continued to work together on the issues around her mother’s death, and at the same time Eileen applied Alba Maxima directly onto her hands. In two weeks her hands were completely clear. I saw her in our local pub a few months later. She waved across at me, shouting “Look no gloves!”

J. was a customer of my husband. Chatting to him one day revealed that his wife suffered from insomnia, so much so that it was becoming a serious problem, lamenting that they had tried everything and nothing seemed to be helping. I told him about the rose essences, and gave him a leaflet. He took one but said he wasn’t very hopeful that she would try them. Two or three days later I had a call from his wife inquiring about the creams. I explained it would be best if she could come and have a chat, so we could get to the cause of the problem. But no, she just wanted me to send her Sweet Juliet, the essence reported to help insomnia. I did as she asked, feeling disappointed that there wouldn’t be a chance to talk. A week or so later I was passing their shop, and she called me in. “That cream you gave me was fantastic,” she greeted me, telling me how she had not only slept through the night but overslept, making her late for work. “It’s a good job I work for myself,” she laughed. She also told me she was continuing to sleep through the night. J’s wife is just one of the many who have had sleep problems relieved by using Sweet Juliet.